Merced High football dominates from start to finish in playoff rout of Bella Vista
With a dominant defense that has shown a knack for forcing turnovers and a quick-strike offense that can score from anywhere, the Merced High School football team looked the part of a team poised to make a deep playoff run on Friday night.
The No. 5 seeded Bears dispatched of No. 12 Bella Vista 47-0 in the first round of the Sac-Joaquin Section Division III playoffs at Cathie Hostetler Stadium. The second half was played with a running clock after Merced jumped out to a 45-0 lead at intermission.
“I really like the journey that I’m on with these guys,” said Merced head coach Rob Scheidt, whose team improved to 8-3 on the season.
It was all Bears from the opening whistle.
On the third play of the game Merced quarterback Quintell Dupree broke free for a 57-yard touchdown that gave the Bears a 7-0 lead just 1 minute and 6 seconds into the game.
Merced defensive back Julian Higareda then came up with a diving interception to set up the Bears offense at the Bella Vista 32-yard line. Four plays later, Chase Smith scored the first of three first-half touchdowns with a 2-yard run to extend the Bears’ lead to 14-0 with 7:39 left in the first quarter.
The rout was on as the Bears defense came up with three first-quarter turnovers. Defensive linemen Anthony Pulliam and Jalonn Booth both recovered fumbles to help put the Bears offense in scoring position.
“It was amazing tonight,” Scheidt said. “Our concern was to be really good on offense and keep our defense off the field, but our defense kept us on the field.”
Merced added a field goal and a 5-yard touchdown run by Smith to open up a 24-0 lead by the end of the first quarter.
Dupree connected with receiver Jeremy Garcia on two second-quarter touchdown throws of 50 and 29 yards to extend the lead to 45-0 at the half.
Smith rushed for 108 yards and the three touchdowns on just 12 carries. He says the team prepares all week to shine under the lights on Friday nights.
“It starts at practice,” Smith said. “We work hard all week so we’re ready to go.”
Dupree completed 7 of 12 passes for 142 yards and the two touchdowns. He added 92 rushing yards and the score on just six carries. Garcia hauled in five catches for 111 yards and the two touchdowns.
Merced outgained Bella Vista (4-7) with 332 yards to the Broncos’ 45 yards in the first half.
As a senior, Booth knows he’s at the point of the season where each Friday night could be his last.
“We just have to go out there and play hard for 48 minutes so we can earn 48 more minutes,” Booth said. “I just have to have the mindset that I’m going to play as hard as I can today and let the scoreboard take care of itself.”
Next up for the Bears is a quarterfinal game against No. 4 Oakdale at the Corrall next week.
Oakdale is going to be fun. We’re going to face the same exact offense but they execute it better. It’s going to be exciting to see how we meet the challenge.
The Mustangs run the same wing-t offense that Bella Vista ran against Merced on Friday, but a lot more efficiently.
“Oakdale is going to be fun,” Booth said. “We’re going to face the same exact offense but they execute it better. It’s going to be exciting to see how we meet the challenge.”
